welcome to across the chessboard! we're an alice in wonderland based site with an original plot and slight modern dystopian twist and canon characters from alice's adventures in wonderland and through the looking glass and what alice found there, both by lewis carroll. for a longer summary, please visit our information center here. if you have any questions, feel free to give an admin a shout in the cbox (it's to your left- just click the chatter button and it should pop open). again, welcome, and we hope you join us!

it is currently summer 2015 in london.
it is currently summer-ish in wonderland.

Wonderland wasn't always this way. There was a time when it mirrored medieval England, albeit with a few magical elements: a few quirks and eccentricities that made it truly unique. While all feared the Queen's mercurial temper and the fine blade of her Guillotine, all was well, until a little girl named Alice Liddell disturbed the status quo and sparked a revolution. The kingdom began to fall into decay as the taint of the modern world invaded. History is beginning to repeat itself and no one is happy. As the Queen of Hearts tangles in a battle of wits and riddles with the Cheshire Cat, the rest are starting to wonder ... is it true that the White Rabbit is bringing humans to Wonderland when they themselves are banned from going to London?

QUOTE/LYRICS: Emancipate me | Free the animal, free the animal | I love you so I'm putting you in quicksand | You take your chances when you kiss the hitman | The animal's inside of this infinite jest | Loving you to death

ruby singer

[dohtml]<center><div class="ptem1"><div class="ptem2"><div class="ptem5">Ruby's hair was smooth as silk, rich black as the feathers of a raven. Her pale skin was covered by a pair of short black shorts that were high waisted with slender silver pinstripes. A black corset with a sweetheart neckline fit her slim figure and emphasized the hourglass figure. Her boots were suede, black and fit like a second skin up to her knees. The outfit was sleek and seductive, until you saw the floor length old maroon velour jacket with patches of different color and style fabric covering numerous holes. It was obviously a well loved and worn jacket. Paired with the flower crown she wore on her head, and it was easy to see she'd dressed herself to suit her mood more so than for style purposes. <p>Her mood, was playful but seductive. It was why she was happily sashaying her way through the Caterpillar Forest, spinning and singing loudly a nonsense song. "Caterpillar soft and bright, once was blue with pipes alight. Now with skin of rich royal mahogany, head of curls and eyes like..." she paused biting her lip. "Like...like...hmmmm....his eyes are all melty. They make you feel melty...But that doesn't rhyme. How to make that rhyme..." She pondered and continued dancing through the mushrooms. <p>"Where can a girl find a handsome Caterpillar when she needs one!" she sang out, twirling in a circle. She kept spinning and spinning, reveling in the feel of dizziness washing over her.

</div><center><div class="ptem4"></div><div class="ptem3">Silly of me to think that you could ever know the things I do...Silly of me to take the time to comb my hair and pour the wine...Silly silly me</div></center></div></div></center>[/dohtml]

This quirky little pip is Ruby Singer, better known as the March Hare. Along with her darling Hatter and dearest Dormouse, she makes up the unusual trio known for their tea parties. She's got more attitude than her size would suggest but she knows how to wield it. She's got a razor sharp wit hidden beneath a an exuberant personality with a tendency towards the literal, all wrapped up in a slightly not quite sane, shiny wrapping paper. Complete with a bow and all. Ruby is a darling, as long as you can handle her moments of insanity, or over abundance energy, her blunt honesty, and tendencies towards friskiness. <p>Friends are fantastics, friends are fun! Shall we be friends when the plottings done? Ruby is energetic, fun-loving and really quite easy to get along. She doesn't often dislike people unless they give her a reason. In fact, there are certain individuals who she refuses to see the dark side of. The Mad Hatter and Dormouse are her two closest companions, like family in her mind, so as long as you do nothing to harm or anger either of them, you stand a good chance of being friends with Ruby. <p>Enemies are like rusty nails...a real pain when you sudden discover one. Ruby isn't fond of hatred or having enemies, so they are likely few and far between. She isn't one to judge others for their past sins and often tries to find the goodness in everyone. Some are harder than others, but if she was already friends with them prior than she will try her best. As for enemies, the best way to get on her bad side is to hurt someone she cares about. She's got a wicked temper, combined with bouts of insanity...it doesn't often bode well. <p>What's love got to do, got to do with it....well, at this moment Ruby isn't quite sure. Ruby has a deep seated fear of being unlovable. Not in the way of friends, or family, but that she wasn't meant to find true love. The soul mate kind. She's never felt it, seen others deal with it and can recognize it in others but has never experienced it herself. Sure she has love for the Hatter and the Dormouse. She'd die for them. She even loves a number of her other very close friends...but true romantic, sweep you off your feet, drunk in love? She's only ever read about it in her trashy romance novels. Now, that being said, she is a hare and an attractive female with a frequent craving for physical affection and a love of sex. So flings and one night stands are likely to be frequent. She's even had a number of friends with benefits. She's great with the no strings attached stuff, but mostly because she fears no one will ever love her. So why try...<p>Plotting is welcome in any of these three categories, or any other category you can come up with.

<td><div class="atem12">Evonny is a special individual...she is a licensed Massage Therapist for Butterfly Moon Massage Parlour in China Town, a massage parlour that is also a cover for a high-end escort service. Evonny is an escort as well as a Massage Therapist, but only her clients know that. She's very good at her job, so much so that her Madame is training her to take over once she retires. Evonny has a bachelors in Psychology with a minor in dance, a mastery of nearly every fetish, and a very seductive woman. She is spunky, outgoing, intelligent, stubborn, competitive, and caring...at least to those who earn that part of her. She prefers to remain a bit of an enigma to anyone that she isn't close to. Life is more fun that way. <p>Friends are people that range in closeness. She has very few close or dear friends, a few friends, but plenty of friendly acquaintances. She has a lifestyle that is complicated to say the least and so very few people know about her life beyond that of being a Massage Therapist. If you count yourself as a friend, be glad. If you count yourself as a close friend, you are special beyond belief. She is very protective of those she holds dear and will go out of the way to protect or do anything for them. Otherwise, she likes everyone else to see her as an mysterious woman. She doesn't share easily, so it will be rare for her to have friends that know much about her past or even her current life. <p>Enemies are probable though wouldn't really be frequent. Evonny is competitive and stubborn, so there are times that she butts heads with others and she isn't one to back down. But she tries to be discrete and prevent anything happening in regards to her private life being discovered, so discretion means privacy. Enemies may happen, but they will be rare. More often then not, it'll just be people that she doesn't like who don't like her. Not quite enemies but in no way friends. <p>Love is complicated. She is a bisexual escort, sleeps with many men and woman, but has only once been close to love. Long term relationships are a no go, but flings, clients, one-night stands are all possible. She is versed in psychology and sex of all kinds, so if anything she is a brilliant lover and knows how to become what her partners need. <p>Really, Evonny is open for all sorts of plots, but she doesn't divulge her past or private life to many.

Tempest is the Bandersnatch, the Queen's creature, and a force to be reckoned with. Like her name, she is a violent storm waiting to let loose. For as long as she can remember she was a creature feared, like the Jabberwocky. Wonderlanders told stories of her to their wee ones to warn them to be good. "Be good, or the Queen will sic her Bandersnatch on you. Tempest enjoyed being feared, so you can imagine her annoyance when suddenly this odd feeling was awoken by a young blonde named Alice. It was an emotion called compassion, and it was a weakness that Tempest loathes and yet likes all at once. Very confusing. Nonetheless, Tempest is still a manipulative, fierce woman. She’s hard-headed with tendencies towards quick-temper and violence. She’s competitive, which she didn’t used to feel the need to be. It’s something that pops up when her ferocity is questioned. Tempest hates weakness, abhors it with a burning passion, so this compassion crap she feels does not make her a happy girl. If she senses weakness in another, she will do one of a few things: kill them, torture them, or protect them. The last one is exceptionally rare and she tries to fight that one but it has been known to happen, though if you are lucky enough to fall into that column do NOT tell anyone, because it will change. She’s more animal than human at times. She can be playful and fun, though often this is a side reserved either for those she cares about or is used as part of her manipulation. Tempest is loyal to the Queen, not because she believes her to be right or any such nonsense. She just has been the Queen's creature for as long as she remembers, and once loyal, forever loyal. It's how she works. <p>Friend is not a common word in Tempest's vocabulary. She refuses to accept that she could have friends, cause that means you care about someone and caring smacks of compassion. The closest she really ever gets to friends are either people she respects, which is rare and hard to come by, or someone her compassion has latched onto and she feels the need to protect, once again...rare. She can be nice, hell, she can be down right playful and friendly...but beware, because unless you belong in one of the two aforementioned categories...you might be her next target. Targets aren't friends, they're playthings. <p>Enemies, now this word she knows. Oddly enough, she doesn't have a plethora of enemies, as one might think. Primarily because if you make it on her bad side, there's a good chance she has or will kill you. She doesn't suffer an enemy to live. Most people consider her an enemy, but often she really doesn't care what they think. Her enemies just don't survive. If she puts you on this list, and you're still alive...there is a reason. Now, you may be an enemy of the Queen, but that doesn't necessarily make you an enemy of Tempest's. While she is loyal to her Queen, she is but a tool in her Queen's belt. She knows this and is perfectly fine with it. <p>Lovers, hey, a girl's gotta get her groove on. Tempest is an animal at heart, and has quite an high sex drive. So flings, one-night-stands, those things are to be expected. Monogamy or declarations of love...not so much. If you want to bang, she's down for that. Otherwise, keep walking. Though, and she will deny this with passion, she does love a good snuggle. Though, the people she does this with, often end up dead the next morning or are people who she trusts. <p>Tempest is really a simple creature. She is who she is and what she is, if you have a problem with it...that's you're problem and it's best to keep it that way. If it becomes her problem, she only deals with those one way and it won't be pretty. But any and all plot ideas are welcome!

Ruby loved her Wonderland dearly, the color, the vibrancy, and the surprises. Yet, there was something about London that drew her. Perhaps it was that being in London meant that what she felt on the inside, came out on the outside. Though deep thoughts aren’t often something Ruby is fond of, so she will claim that it was the vibrancy. She misses London, but as long as she has those she loves, those she is loyal to with her, than that is her home. After all, home is where the Hatter, the Dormouse, and the tea are. As for the current state of Wonderland...well, once again, deep thoughts make for an unhappy Hare.

<div class="tab"><input type="radio" id="tab-4" name="tab-group-1"><label for="tab-4" style="padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px;">IV</label><div class="content"><div class="atem6">Ruby was a special case, which is saying something as most Wonderlanders are, the change from male March Hare to female human form was a gift to her, not a curse. He had always felt different inside, so when the change happened it was a blessing. Lucky for her, she still has the ability to change back to that of a hare, but not like her former version. Now she’s small, silver-grey and limber, and the transition costs her a lot of energy. She will often sleep for days after a change, depending on how quickly she has to go from one form to another. If she remains in one form longer and doesn't change back immediately, the toll is less. If she transitions back and forth too quickly, it take a real hit to her health. <p>Her love for Wonderland runs deep, but the brilliance of all things London drew her. Not to mention, it made her feel closer to Alice. She never really let on about the adoration for the girl, but she did care about her a great deal. Her passing may not have thrown Hare into turmoil as it had others, at least not that she let others see. Nonetheless, Ruby spent much time in London and she loved her time there, and misses it greatly. But when it comes to where she lives, nothing matters as much as being close to the ones she loves. As long as she has her Hatter and Dormouse, Ruby could care very little for where she lives. Home is where her family is and the tea is always fresh. Though, if she were to be completely honest, Wonderland likely does have it's fingers gripping a piece of her heart at all times. She doesn't quite know what to make of the current going ons, aside from the fact that she hates not being able to go to London anymore. She misses her tea shoppe dearly, but one can only throw a tantrum for so long. Ruby keeps bits of London with her in her form of dress. As eclectic of an individual as Ruby is, her clothing style matches her personality perfectly. It's a strange combination of all she loved about London and the things she grew up with in Wonderland. As for her permenant residence in Wonderland, it is what it is and as with all things, she will deal. At least she has her friends, though she misses her London friends greatly. <p>Vibrant, lively, and a bit oblivious of things that don’t affect her directly. She’s not so much crazy, as the stories claim, as she is spastic, spontaneous, and playful with a penchant for pranks. Her time in London helped to amplify her child-like energy and tendency towards an innocent outlook. She's one to take things literal, though some find that part of her charm. She speaks her mind in all things, often suffering from foot in mouth syndrome. While many think her something of a bumbling airhead with moments of madness swirled with lucid thoughts, she's considerably more complex than that. She choses to see things through her child-like glasses, to let other see her for the Hare they've come to know, keeping just how clever and witty she is hidden. Occasionally it comes out, and only those closest to her realize just how clever she is. Best to let others think she’s a ditz, then they won’t expect her moments of intelligence. It’s more fun that way. </div><div class="atem2">fini — 28 — est — pm — tba</div></div></div>